To think the benefit cap is going to plunge families into poverty

[Firsttheworst]

Next month the benefit cap comes in. It sets out the maximum that can be claimed in a week across all benefits. This doesn't include disability or wtc. Its aimed purely at women (mostly) claiming income support. You can only claim income support if you have a child under 5 and don't work.

The benefit cap is in the government owns words designed to get IS claimants out to work. The cap is currently £500 and will be reduced to £384 a week.

This includes, housing benefit, CT benefit, tax credits, income support. So all in total cannot be more than £384 a week. Over a 30 day month that comes to £1645.

From that £1645 I need to pay

rent £900 a month (no I can't move, its impossible to rent on benefits as it is, not giving this house up and its below market rent as it is)

CT - £60 a month

Electricity £80

Oil £80

Diesel £ 120 (rural don't drive anywhere other than school runs and supermarket/town once or twice a week)

Car insurance £49

Car tax £19.99

Phone/internet £40 (thats a basic mobile and broadband)

House insurance £13

TV licence £11

That leaves 272 a month to pay for food, clothes, car breakdown, school trips, birthdays, miscellaneous and god knows what else. For one adult and 3 children.

AIBU to think that the government have just decided that if they starve us out for long enough we'll be forced to go out and find a job? Like I said rural area so jobs are rarer than hens teeth and believe me i'm looking. It is pure discrimination against single mothers with small children (i doubt many men claim income support)

We have about 200 a month left after paying all the bills. We both work. Once again mumsnet feels like a parallel universe

Plenty of people get little or nothing in child benefit and/or tax credits if their partner works, earns above £60k, or they don't have any children.

Not everyone gets the equivalent of a wage in benefits and complains it's not enough for their chosen lifestyle.

And I think- there is no other way to say this- that this is exactly what the government are trying to achieve. You obviously see your benefits as your long term income- you're "living" off them- whereas the government want them to be an emergency stop gap. I know it's tough on an individual level but at a population level yes, they sort of do want to starve people back to work

You cannot just move if you are on housing benefit. It doesn't work like that.

Landlords do not want anyone on housing benefit, they just don't. You can't make yourself intentionally homeless either. I have no money for a deposit or first month rent so it's not as simple as 'just move'. And then how would the children see their father? Should I move their school? Where is the money for the move coming from?

I live in the SE. £900 a month for a 3 bedroom house is cheap.

DP brings in roughly £400 a week after tax, for that he works between 60-80 hours. We have 3 kids and manage to budget fine on that money.

Families with a low wage would presumably be eligible for wtc (and some hb) & exempt from the ban? Plus cb, like the op claims.

I don't think you are unreasonable op. I think the amounts scraped back from the cap will be minimal in real terms, especially if wtc bill goes up from increase in low earners. In the long term forcing people out to work will pay but many will suffer in the meantime and no doubt the same positive results could be achieved by more money being invested in enabling parents to retrain so that work can pay for them and make less dependant in the long run. But that's not the aim of this government.

Also at £384 a week any family earning this with just two do will receive an extra £120 a week in tax credits. People saying that's all we earn, it might be all you earn but it is not your total household income. Also claiming childcare costs and you are receiving much more in benefits than the op.

OP it's shit I do sympathise...I've been there. However...where on earth do you live that you're paying nearly 1000 a month in rent? Is it huge?

Are there any buses locally? I'd be looking at that...how far is school/town? The car is costing a bomb as is the rent.

Which doesn't entitle us to WTC by the way.

The cap includes everything. Child benefit, child tax credits, housing and council tax benefit and income support. All together it can't come to more that £384

Ah SE.

Ok...is it at all possible to get public transport to the school/shops?

How much does their father contribute?

My husband works full time. His wage is £1250 a month and we get £280 in tax credits and child benefit. Less than you. We have similar income to you, and have similar left over. I have £300 for everything after bills. Foods, clothes, treats, car maintenance etc. Yes it sucks. You do need to move, your rent is ridiculous. Lower your standards.

Don't you get any money from the children's father?

Its not a huge house at all. Its a three bed semi in the south east. Believe me the rents here are astronomical (Londoners living here and working in the city) Thats less than the standard rent in town. In town i'd be looking at 1000 for a 3 bed flat

Bluebirds what if her entire family are in that area? How is she meant to move with no money?

Then get a 2-bed flat, and sleep in the lounge.

So not that rural then

Yabu

Thats similar, if not more, than a full time nurse earns.

Why doesnt the father contribute?

Childrens father. Good luck with that. He's self employed and 'doesn't turn a profit'. He buys the children things when he is with them.

All of you saying 'oh but my oh earns that etc etc', you could go out to work though? If its just as easy for me to go out to work so could you? And sort childcare etc. Except its not easy is it? To find a job that works around children and school hours etc

I was on benefits when I was on my own with DS (childcare wouldn't take him due to ASD and meltdowns) and I had to move away from my family, live within my means and drop luxuries. It's shit, but it's reality.

When I was a single parent working full-time as a teacher the only benefit I was entitled to was child benefit. I could claim tax credits when I worked part-time, also got help with childcare costs, meaning I was able to go back to work part time when DD was 9 months old. I didn't have the luxury of not working/staying home and being a full-time mummy. Once DD was at school, I worked full-time. The system made it possible for me to work (although money was tight). I no longer claim child benefit because my DHs income takes us over the threshold now.

All of you saying 'just move'

Please show me a right move advert which doesn't say 'no housing benefit'.

There is some poor sap out there earning about 78000 a year, and every single penny of income tax that they pay is being handed to you (income tax payments on 78000 are about equivalent to the benefits cap). So in order for your non working lifestyle to be supported someone else is working full time, there is a portion of their wage being given to you Can you see how that is not really sustainable?

OP I sympathise but it's only going to get worse - we haven't yet begun to see the effects of the plummeting Sterling on prices of everyday goods. Since we import most things, prices of food, clothing, fuel are going to rise sharply in the next few years. There is a lag, but believe me, it's coming (I import clothing from another EU country and sell it in the UK. Our prices for next year will go up by at least 20% as we purchase in Euros).

And that's before Brexit actually happens. If we do leave the Single Market which is looking increasingly likely, we will also have to pay import tariffs on everything which will further increase prices in UK shops. See some examples here: www.theguardian.com/business/2016/oct/10/prices-will-shoot-up-if-uk-fails-to-get-eu-single-market-access-retailers-warn